Method and apparatus for making guide bracket and ball-bearing carrier units for drawers and the like

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units from a plurality of channel-shaped carrier members with ball bearing sockets, ball bearings, and a longitudinally moving channel-shaped guide bracket strip comprising a plurality of guide bracket sections defined by longitudinally spaced notched portions. The carrier members are sequentially fed to a working position in an assembling station in timed relation to the operative forward movement of the strip, each operatively positioned carrier member being held against movement while in said working position, the guide bracket strip uninterruptedly moving through said assembling station while ball bearings are being fed to positions between the sockets in the carrier member legs and the flanking legs of the moving guide bracket strip, thereby effecting a rollable interengagement of the carrier member and the adjacent coacting guide bracket section. The carrier member is then released from its said assembling position, and the interengaged members are moved forwardly to cutting apparatus at which successive completed units are operatively severed.

United States Patent [72] lnventors Morr'n Mam Great Neck, N.Y.; WilliamG. Meyer, St. Petersburg, Fla. [2! 1 Appl. No. 867,506 [22] Filed Oct.20,1969 [45] Patented Aug. 24, 1971 I 73] Assignee Corn CorporationYonkers, N.Y.

[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING GUIDE BRACKET AND BALL-BEARINGCARRIER UNITS FOR DRAWERS AND THE LIKE 15 Claims, 25 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 29/1484 A, 29/201, 29/434 [51] Int. Cl ..B23p1i/00, B23p19/04 [50] Field oiSearch ..29/l48.4 A, 201, 442, 434

[56] Referenoes Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,751,664 6/1956 Amit29/l48.4

3,521,341 7/1970 Homlein etal ABSTRACT: A method and apparatus formaking guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units from a plurality ofchannel-shaped carrier members with ball bearing sockets, ball bearings,and a longitudinally moving channel-shaped guide bracket stripcomprising a plurality of guide bracket sections defined bylongitudinally spaced notched portions. The carrier members aresequentially fed to a working position in an assembling station in timedrelation to the operative forward movement of the strip, eachoperatively positioned carrier member being held against movement whilein said working position, the guide bracket strip uninterruptedly movingthrough said assembling station while ball bearings are being fed topositions between the sockets in the carrier member legs and theflanking legs of the moving guide bracket strip, thereby efiecting arollable interengagement of the carrier member and the adjacent coactingguide bracket section. The carrier member is then released from its saidassembling position, and the interengaged members are moved forwardly tocutting apparatus at which successive completed units are operativelysevered.

mama] mm m SHEET 1 0F 6 FIG. 8

FIG. 5

/NVENTORS MORE/S MANSON WILLIAM G. MEYER PATENTEU M1824 Ian SHEET 2 OF 6MOKR/S MANSON W/LL/AM G. ME YER ATTORNEY PATENTEU M22419?! 3 600 78? INVEN TORS MORRIS MANSON WILL/AM G. MEYER A 1- TOR/V5 Y METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR MAKING GUIDE BRACKET AND BALL-BEARING CARRIER UNITS FORDRAWERS AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. The Field of theInvention This invention relates to a method and apparatus for makingguide bracket and ball bearing carrier units, particularly for insertinga channel-shaped ball bearing carrier member into a channel-shaped guideracket for drawers and the like.

2. The Known Art Guide brackets of the above-referred-to categorycontain laterally opposite ball bearing tracks which are generallypressed outwardly from their opposite lateral legs in the form oflongitudinal grooves for receiving and rollably supporting pairs oflaterally opposite ball bearings interengaged with a carrier memberrollably movable within the guide bracketthe said carrier member beingadapted to rollably receive therein a drawer slide member, all inwell-known manner. It has heretofore been the practice to assemble theguide bracket, carrier member and ball bearings by inserting the carriermember and ball bearings into the bracket from one end thereof-anassembling operation performed after the completion of all the formingand cutting operations on said bracket. This has proven to be a costlyprocedure, first because it involves considerable manual labor, andsecond because it involves a time-loss factor since such assemblingoperation could not be performed during a continuous operative movementof the uncut guide bracket strip along the operative forming and cuttingpath, but rather after fully formed sections of the guide bracket havebeen cut from said strip.

3. Objectives of the Invention his one of the objectives of thisinvention to perform the inserting operation of the carrier member andball bearings during the operative movement of the uncut length of guidebracket strip along the forming path, without interrupting thecontinuity of such movement. A secondary objective is to enablesuccessive sections of the guide bracket strip into which carriermembers and ball bearings have been inserted by the method of thisinvention to be separated into finally completed units withoutinterfering with the continuity of the said forming and assemblingoperations.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings andthe description hereinafter given.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The method and apparatus of this inventioneffect the successive assembly of carrier members and sets of ballbearings with sections of a continuously moving guide bracket strip, thecarrier members and ball bearings being fed to an assembling position innon noninterfering relation to the operative path of said strip.

Among the operations performed on the longitudinally movingchannel-shaped strip of metal out of which a plurality of guide bracketsare to be formed are the steps of forming notches in the laterallyopposite legs of the strip, thereby separating successive portions ofthe strip into guide bracket sections of predetermined equal lengths,the notched portions also performing certain operative steps. As thestrip moves along its operative path the forward portion thereof passesthrough an assembling station defined by two laterally opposite wallssupporting therebetween a housing the base of which comprises two railspositioned for underlying supporting engagement with the base of acarrier member fed into the housing by suitable means, said carriermember having in each upright leg two longitudinally spaced open ballbearing sockets. The forward section of the channel-shaped guide bracketstrip is so positioned within the housing that the base is spaced belowthe said rails and the legs flank the legs of said carrier member, thegrooved tracks of the guide bracket being at the level of said sockets.

There are two ball bearing feed pipes or chutes that extend through eachof said laterally opposite walls with discharge outlets at the level ofsaid ball bearing sockets of the carrier member resting on said rails.The longitudinal distance between said outlets is equal to thelongitudinal distance between said sockets, the front or leading ball ateach outlet being engageable with the outwardly protruding grooved trackof the adjacent guide bracket leg. The arrangement is such that theballs in said respective feed pipes are maintained in line while theguide bracket is moving forwardly. In the preferred construction eachfeed pipe is provided with an air jet for maintaining the leading ballin operative engagement with the adjacent coacting socket during theassembling operation.

As a guide bracket section enters the said housing during the operativemovement of the strip, the leading notched portions will reach aposition coinciding with the laterally opposite ball bearing dischargeoutlets. The leading ball at each outlet will pass through thecorresponding notch and settle in the adjacent coacting socket. As thestrip continues its forward movement the laterally opposite rear edgesof said notched portions (the leading edges of the following guidebracket section) will engage the respective leading and next adjacentballs at their points of contact, separating themthe continued movementof the strip forcing the the next adjacent balls back, whereby they comeinto rolling engagement with the outer surfaces of the grooved tracks ofthe respective guide bracket legs, the leading balls now being rollablypositioned between the respective sockets and the adjacent groovedtracks. This is the first step in the assembly of the carrier member,ball bearings and guide racket. As the strip moves on and the saidnotched portions reach the second set of oppositely disposed dischargeoutlets, the above-described assembly process is repeated, whereby fourball bearings are now rollably positioned between the grooved tracks andsockets of the guide bracket section and the carrier member, saidsection and member being now rollably interengaged.

This assembling action takes place while the guide bracket strip iscontinuously moving forwardly along its operative path; but the carriermember is, during such action, maintained stationary by the gate inengagement with the front edge of the carrier member while the saidstrip is moving forwardly therebeneath. After the completion of theassembling operation, the said gate is removed from its obstructingposition, at which time the carrier member is pushed forwardly to acutting station where suitable cutting dies, moving with the strip inknown manner, sever the foremost assembled section from the rest of thestrip.

In the form illustrated the gate is spring-loaded and the carrier memberengaged and pushed forwardly by the rear upstanding stop in the stripsection being assembled; but other forms of gates, such as knownsuitably timed electromechanically operated gates, may be employedwithin the scope of this invention. The carrier members are sequentiallyfed on to the rails at the assembling station, the particularillustrated embodiment comprising a vertically stacked arrangement ofcarrier members gravitationally fed; but inclined slides with knownsuitably timed feeding means may be employed for coaction with theoperative movement of the guide bracket strip within the scope andintent of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of aportion of the flat steel stock to be formed into a channel-shaped guidebracket strip for use in this invention, the piece being shown after thenotching operations but before the required forming and piercingoperations.

FIG. 2 is a section of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the formed and piercedchannel-shaped guide bracket strip ready for employment in the methodand apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3, a fragment being broken away forclarity.

FIG. is a section of FIG. 4 taken along line 5-5.

.FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the carrier member of this invention.

FIG..7 is a section of FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged section of FIG. 6 taken along line 8- 8.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a completed assembly of the slidebracket section and ball bearing carrier made by the method andapparatus of this invention, a portion being broken away for clarity.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view, with parts broken away for clarity, ofportions of the apparatus of this invention, showing a fragmentaryportion of .the slide bracket strip being fed into the apparatus andshowing a stacked arrangement of carrier members within the housing ofthe apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a vertical section of the apparatus of FIG. 10 takensubstantially along line 1I1l thereof and along the line 1l-11 ofFIG.12.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary section of FIG. 11 taken along line 12--l2thereof.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary section of FIG. 11 taken along line ,1313thereof, the gate being shown in a closed position, the

carrier members being omitted.

"FIG. 14 is a fragmentary section of FIG. 13 taken along line 14-14thereof.

FIG. 15 is a side elevation of the apparatus with a part broken awayshowing the position of a notch of the guide bracket section approachingthe first ball discharge outlets.

FIG. 16 is a section of FIG. 15 taken along line 16-16.

FIG. l7.is a fragmentary section taken substantially along line 12- 12of FIG. 11 showing the notch in a position coinciding with the firstball discharge outlets.

FIG. 18 is a section of FIG. 17 taken along line l8--18.

FIG. 19 is a section of FIG. 17 taken along line l9-l9 thereof.

FIG. 20 is a section like that of FIG. 17 but showing the rear edge ofthe slot in a position just beyond the point of contact between theleading ball and the next adjacent ball, the legs of the guide bracketsection now separating said leading ball and said next adjacent ball.

FIG. 21 is a section of FIG. 20 taken along line 21-21 thereof.

FIG. 22 is another section like that of FIG. 17, but showing the saidnotch in an operative position at the second or forward ball dischargeoutlets.

. FIG. 23 is a section of FIG. 22 taken along line 23-23.

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary section substantially like FIG. 13, but"showing the' carrier members operatively in place and showing the gatein an open position with the assembled parts moving outwardlytherebeyond.

FIG. 25 is a schematic side elevation, partly in section, showing theassembling station, a guide bracket strip passing therethrough to andthrough a severing station.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In carrying out the method of thisinvention a length of flat steel stock 23 is first notched at spacedlaterally opposite portions 24 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and then formed into asubstantially channel-shaped configuration with pressed-out longitudinalgrooved tracks, fastener apertures and stops as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and5, in accordance with known cutting and forming procedures, resulting inthe formation of the guide bracket strip 25. As illustrate, this stripis divided into a plurality of sections 25a, 25b etc. separated bynotched portions, generally designated 26, extending downwardly to thebase 27. The strip comprises the two upstanding legs 28 and 29 the upperportions of which are pressed outwardly to form the longitudinal groovedtracks 30 and 31, the upstanding stops 32 and the fastener apertures 35,36, 37, 38 and 39, the upstanding stop 33 being fonned after theassembling operation hereinafter described.

The carrier member 41 (FIGS. 6, 7 and 8) which is to be assembled withinthe guide bracket 25 is also of channel-shaped configuration, having araised base 42 and two upstanding legs 43 and 44, each of said legshaving open sockets for operatively accommodating ball bearings, leg 43having the sockets 45 and 46 and leg 44 having the sockets 47 and 48,the sockets on each leg being in longitudinally spaced relation and atthe same horizontal level. FIG. 9 illustrates the finished assembly of asection of the guide bracket strip 25 and the carrier member 41 with apair of rear ball bearings 49a and 50a and a pair of front ball bearings51a and 52a operatively in place.

FIG. 25 semischematically illustrates the operative path of the guidebracket strip 25, it being shown moving forwardly upon a supportingfloor 53 through the assembling station generally designated 54, andforwardly therefrom to the final severing apparatus generally designated55. On opposite sides of the structure constituting said station 54 areball bearing feed pipes extendingdownwardly from the bins 55 and 56,feed pipes 57 and 58 extending down from bin 55 and feed pipes 59 and 60extending down at the laterally opposite side from the bin 56. At thebase of said feed pipes are air pressure ducts generally designated 61the operation of which will be hereinafter described. In the particularembodiment illustrated, carrier members 41 are fed from an upperposition downwardly to a working position in operative relation to thepath of said guide bracket strip 25 for operative assembly with twopairs of ball bearings in the manner hereinbelow set forth. Theillustrated structure of the assembly station 54 comprises two laterallyopposite walls 62 and 63 flanking the lower portion of a housing 64comprising the laterally opposite sidewalls 65 and 66, the front wall67, the rear wall 68 and the two parallel rails 69 and 70 at the base ofthe housing. In the construction shown the angle bars 71 and 72 securedto the tops of the respective said walls 63 and 62 are attached to theouter surfaces of the said respective walls 66 and 65 of said housing.The base of the said rear wall 68 contains a recessed portion 73 topermit the operative passage therethrough of the upstanding stops 32 ofthe guide bracket strip 25 during its operative movement forwardly. Thesaid front wall 67 contains a recess 74 defined at the rear by the wall75, there being a gate 77 pivotally mounted on said front wall 67 at 78and urged rearwardly into its closed position by the leaf spring 79mounted on said front wall 67 as shown. The bottom portion 80 of saidgate 77 extends, when in its operatively closed position, as shown inFIGS. 11 and 13, between said rails 69 and 70 and therefore inobstructing relation to the longitudinal path of the carrier member asdefined by said rails. When said gate 77 is in its operatively retractedposition as shown in FIG. 24, the passageway 81 between and above saidrails is unobstructed by said gate, thereby to permit the forwardpassage therebeyond of the interengaged guide bracket and carriermember, as will more clearly hereinafter appear.

The said ball bearing feed pipes 57, 58, 59 and 60 extend through thelower portions of the corresponding ones of said walls 62 and 63 totheir respective ball discharge outlets 57a, 58a, 59a and 60a, saidoutlets being at the level of said grooved tracks 30 and 31 of saidguide bracket strip 25, the longitudinal distance between the dischargeoutlets on each side being equal to the longitudinal distance betweenthe said sockets on each leg of the carrier members. Disposed at thesame level as said grooved tracks 30 and 31 and said respective outlets57a, 58a, 59a and 60a are the laterally opposite longitudinal slottedportions 82 and 83 of said sidewalls 66, and 65 of the said housing 64,the opposite ends of each of said slotted portions having enlargedportions 84 proportioned to receive therethrough the ball bearings.Operatively connected to each of said feed pipes is an air pressure duct61 connected to a suitable source of air supply.

In the operation of this method and apparatus, carrier members 41 areinserted through the top opening 85 of the housing 64 in stackedarrangement, the lowermost of said carrier members resting upon saidrails 69 and 70. The said floor 53 slidably supporting the said guidebracket strip 25 is so positioned that the base 27 of said strip isdisposed in spaced rela-. tion below the said rails 69 and 70, and thesaid legs 28 and 29 are in flanking relation to the legs 44 and 43 ofsaid carrier member, as clearly shown in FIGS. 11 and 19. The distancebetween the said sidewalls 65 and 66 is sufficient to accommodatetherebetween said carrier members, but less than the width of said guidebracket strip to permit the legs of said strip to flank said sidewallsand an operatively positioned carrier member.

The ball bearings are in linear formation within the respective feedpipes (see FIG. 19), the front or leading ball in each of said feedpipes being positioned for engagement with the correspondinglypositioned carrier member socket. More specifically, the leading ball49a is engageable with the socket 47, the leading ball 50a is engageablewith the socket 45, the leading ball 51a is in engagement with thesocket 48 and the leading ball 52a is in engagement with the socket 46.The grooved tracks 30 and 31 are so positioned as to be in line with thepoints of contact of the respective leading and next adjacent balls.Hence, each of said grooved tracks is adapted to form a separating wallbetween the leading balls on its side and the next adjacent balls,thereby to effect an operative assembly of the carrier member and guidebracket section as will more clearly appear from the followingdescription.

As the guide bracket strip 25 moves forwardly in the direction of arrowA, the notched portions 260 and 26b will reach a position at which theycoincide with the respective discharge outlets 57a and 59a, the leadingballs 50a and 49a gravitationally passing downwardly through saidrespective notched portions into engagement with the respective sockets45 and 47 of the carrier member, the air jets from the respective ducts61 helping to hold the said leading balls in engagement with saidsockets. During this action the other balls in the respective feed pipes57 and 59 move down to cor respondingly lowered positions, and remainthere until said rear edges 86a and 86b of the said respective notchedportions 26a and 26b come operatively into engagement with therespective contacting leading and next adjacent balls 50a, 50b and 49a,49b. Since, as aforesaid, said grooved tracks 30 and 31 are at the samelevels as said respective discharge outlets 59a and 57a and said sockets45 and 47 and are in substantial longitudinal alignment with therespective points of contact of said leading and next adjacent balls,the continued forward movement of said bracket strip 25 will bring saidupper track portions of said edges 86a and 86b between the respectivetwo front balls at each of said outlets 57a and 59a, thereby separatingthem. Thus the said leading ball 5011 will now be positioned between thesocket 45 of the carrier member and the inner concave surface of thegrooved track 31, and the leading ball 49a will be positioned betweenthe socket 47 and the inner concave surface of .the grooved track 30. Inthe above-mentioned separating action of the two front balls at eachoutlet, the line of balls behind the respective leading balls will bepushed back a distance equal to the thickness of the walls of therespective grooved tracks 31 and 30, balls 50b and 49b now being the newleading balls positioned for operative assembly with the next oncomingguide bracket section and a newly delivered carrier member.

The first part of the assembly has now been effected, balls 49a and 50abeing in properly assembled positions between their respective groovedtracks 30 and 31 and the corresponding sockets of said carrier member41. As the guide bracket strip continues its forward movement, the saidnotched portions 26a and 26b will reach a position at which theycoincide with discharge outlets 58a and 60a, the leading balls 52a and51a passing through said notched portions, settling into sockets 46 and48 and, upon thefurther continued movement of the strip forwardly,becoming rollably positioned between said last-mentioned sockets and theadjacent grooved tracks 31 and 30, the new leading balls at said outlets58a and 60a now being the balls 52b and 51b. The assembly has thus beencompleted.

During the aforesaid assembling operation the front edge 41a of thecarrier member 41 was in engagement with the lower portion 80 of thesaid spring-loaded gate 77, the gate thereby preventing any forwardmovement of the carrier member while the slide member was continuing itsforward movement beyond the gate, this being possible due to the factthat the said guide bracket strip is moving along a clear path notobstructed by said gate. When, during the forward operative movement ofthe guide bracket strip, its stop element 32 comes into engagement withthe rear edge 41b of the carrier member 41, said member will bepropelled thereby forwardly against the yieldable resistance of the gate77, whereby the gate will be forced into its open position illustratedin FIG. 24, thereby permitting the carrier member to move forwardly withthe connected section of the guide bracket strip towards the severingapparatus 55.

Said severing apparatus, of conventional construction, consists of abody portion 87 adapted to operably move with and at the same speed asthat of the guide bracket strip 25 at predetermined times. The strip,during its forward movement, enters the apertured portion 88 of saidsevering apparatus 55 whereupon the severing tool 89 is operativelytripped and caused to move downwardly in known manner to sever theconnecting strip 90 constituting the base of the notch which separatedthe foremost section 25d from the following section of the strip. Thesevered section 25d now a completed and finally assembled unit like thatshown in FIG. 9.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by wayof example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations andmodifications may be made therein. It is to be understood, therefore,that the invention is not limited to any particular form or manner ofpracticing same.

We claim:

1. In a method of making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units,the steps of providing a channel-shaped guide bracket section and achannel-shaped carrier member transversely narrower than said guidebracket section and having ball bearing sockets in the legs thereof,moving said guide bracket section forwardly along a predeterminedoperative path towards and through an assembling station, the legs ofsaid section extending upwardly from the base thereof, delivering saidcarrier member at said stationto an assembling position at which thebase of the carrier member is above the base of said guide bracketsection and the legs of said carrier member are spaced inwardly from thelegs of said guide bracket section to provide a ball bearing spacebetween each of said sockets and the respective inner surfaces of thelegs of said guide bracket section during the operative movement thereofwithin said station, holding said carrier member in said position,feeding a ball bearing to eachof said sockets and holding them in place,whereby-upon said operative movement of said guide bracket sectionwithin said station the said inner surfaces of the legs of the guidebracket section rollably engage said respective ball bearings and holdthem in said ball bearing spaces in operative engagement with saidrespective sockets, thereby to rollably interengage said guide bracketsection and said ball bearing carrier member, releasing said carriermember from said assembling position and moving said interengagedcarrier member and guide bracket section forwardly.

2. In a method of making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units,the steps according to claim 1, said step of delivering the carriermember being performed from a position in noninterfering relation to thesaid operative path of said guide bracket section.

3. In a method of making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units,the steps according to claim 2, said operative movement of the guidebracket section being continuous along said path, through saidassembling station and therebeyond, whereby the said operative movementof said section remains uninterrupted during the said step of holdingsaid carrier member in said assembling position.

4. In a method of making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units,the steps according to claim 3, said step of feeding said ball bearingbeing performed gravitationally from a position above and innoninterfering relation to the said operative path of said guide bracketsection.

5. In a method of making guide bracket and ball bearing 7. In a methodof making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units, the steps ofproviding a channel-shaped guide bracket strip and a plurality ofchannel-shaped carrier members each transversely narrower than saidguide bracket strip and having laterally opposite ball bearing socketsin the legs thereof, said strip comprising a plurality of guide bracketsections separated by pairs of laterally opposite notched portions inthe legs of the strip, moving said strip forwardly along a predeterminedoperative path towards and through an assembling station, the legs ofsaid strip extending upwardly from the basethereof, sequentially feedingsaid carrier members, in predetermined timed relation with respect tothe movement of said strip, to an assembling position within saidstation at which the base of the carrier member is disposed above theoperativepath of the base of said strip and the legs of said car riermember are spaced inwardly from the path of the corresponding legs ofsaid channel-shaped strip to provide a ball bearing space between eachof said sockets and the respective inner surfaces of the legs of a guidebracket section operatively positioned at said assembling station,holding said carrier member at said assembling position, feeding ballbearings to said respective laterally opposite sockets through a pair ofsaid laterally opposite notched portions of a section of said guidebracket strip operatively within said assembling station, whereby uponthe continued operative forward movement of said strip the rear edges ofsaid last-mentioned notched por-- tions engage the outer portions ofsaid ball bearings and the inner surfaces of the legs of the followingguide bracket section rollably engage said respective ball bearings andhold them in said ball bearing spaces in operativeengagement with saidrespective sockets, thereby to rollably interengage said guide bracketsection and said ball bearing carrier member, releasing said carriermember from said assembling position and moving said interengagedcarrier member and guide bracket section forwardly.

8. In a method of making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units,the steps according to claim 7, said feeding of ball bearings beingperformed by arranging laterally opposite linear formations of ballbearings for gravitational downward movement towards the operativepositions of the leading ball bearings, said leading ball bearings beingpositioned for operative engagement with said respective sockets,whereby the said rear edges of said laterally opposite notched portionswill, upon operative engagement with the said outer portions of saidleading ball bearings, simultaneously engage the respective nextadjacent ball bearings of said linear formations to separate said latterball bearings from said leading ball bearings, whereby said respectivenext adjacent ball bearings will rollably engage the respective outersurfaces of said respective legs of the adjacent guide bracket sectionand will become the leading ball bearings for operative movement throughthe oncoming notched portions of said strip.

9. In a method of making bracket and ball bearing carrier units, thesteps according to claim 8, said carrier members having at laterallyopposite portions two-spaced horizontally aligned sockets on the legsthereof, said legs of said guide bracket sections having at the upperportions thereof longitudinal grooved tracks at the same level as saidhorizontally aligned sockets, said linear formations of ball bearingscomprising two-spaced pairs of laterally opposite formations, theleading ball bearings of said formations being operatively adjacent andat the same level as the corresponding sockets of said carrier member,whereby the feeding steps of said ball hearings will occur through eachpair of laterally opposite notched portions'successively at thelaterally opposite sockets of said carrier member.

10. In a method of making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units,the steps according to claim 7, said operative movement of the guidebracket strip being continuous along said path, through said assemblingstation and therebeyond, whereby the said operative movement of saidsection remains uninterrupted during the said step of holding saidcarrier member in said assembling position, the movement of saidinterconnected carrier member and guide bracket strip continuing to asevering station, and the further step of severing the foremost sectionfromthe next adjacent section at the notched portions therebetween.

11. An apparatus for making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier unitsfrom a plurality of carrier members with ball bearing sockets, ballbearings and a longitudinally movable channel-shaped guide bracket striphaving a plurality of longitudinally aligned guide bracket sections,comprising an assembly housing having at the base thereof two spacedlongitudinal rails proportioned to support thereon one of said carriermembers, carrier member feeding means communicating with said rails,retractable holding means positioned and proportioned for releasableholding engagement with a carrier member operatively positioned on saidrails, longitudinal supporting means for said moving guide bracket stripspaced below said rails and said holding means, and ball bearing feedingmeans for laterally opposite linear formations of ball bearings, saidfeeding means having discharge outlets above said rails.

12. An apparatus according-to claim 11, said holding means comprising aretractable gate at the forward portion of said housing.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, each of said ballfeeding meanshaving a feed pipe extending from a predetermined level above said railsdown to a discharge outlet in the region of said rails.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1 1, said housing having laterallyopposite walls spaced apart a distance sufficient for operativelyaccommodating therebetween one of said carrier members operativelypositioned on said rails, said distance being less than the transversewidth of said channel-shaped guide bracket strip, whereby the legs ofsaid strip will be adapted to operatively move in flanking relation tosaid walls, said laterally opposite walls having apertured portionssubstantially at the level of said ball bearing discharge outlets.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, said ball bearing feeding meanshaving a plurality of feed pipes extending from a predetermined levelabove said rails down to corresponding discharge outlets in the regionsof said rails, and air jet ducts communicating with the bottom portionsof said respective pipes for directing air towards said dischargeoutlets.

1. In a method of making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units,the steps of providing a channel-shaped guide bracket section and achannel-shaped carrier member transversely narrower than said guidebracket section and having ball bearing sockets in the legs thereof,moving said guide bracket section forwardly along a predeterminedoperative path towards and through an assembling station, the legs ofsaid section extending upwardly from the base thereof, delivering saidcarrier member at said station to an assembling position at which thebase of the carrier member is above the base of said guide bracketsection and the legs of said carrier member are spaced inwardly from thelegs of said guide bracket section to provide a ball bearing spacebetween each of said sockets and the respective inner surfaces of thelegs of said guide bracket section during the operative movement thereofwithin said station, holding said carrier member in said position,feeding a ball bearing to each of said sockets and holding them inplace, whereby upon said operative movement of said guide bracketsection within said station the said inner surfaces of the legs of theguide bracket section rollably engage said respective ball bearings andhold them in said ball bearing spaces in operative engagement with saidrespective sockets, thereby to rollably interengage said guide bracketsection and said ball bearing carrier member, releasing said carriermember from said assembling position and moving said interengagedcarrier member and guide bracket section forwardly.
 2. In a method ofmaking guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units, the steps accordingto claim 1, said step of delivering the carrier member being performedfrom a position in noninterfering relation to the said operative path ofsaid guide bracket section.
 3. In a method of making guide bracket andball bearing carrier units, the steps according to claim 2, saidoperative movement of the guide bracket section being continuous alongsaid path, through said assembling station and therebeyond, whereby thesaid operative movement of said section remains uninterrupted during thesaid step of holding said carrier member in said assembling position. 4.In a method of making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units, thesteps according to claim 3, said step of feeding said ball bearing beingperformed gravitationally from a position above and in noninterferingrelation to the said operative path of said guide bracket section.
 5. Ina method of making guide bracket and ball bearing carrier units, thesteps according to claim 1, said step of holding said operatively fedball bearings in place at said respective sockets being performed bydirecting air jets at said ball bearings.
 6. In a method of making guidebracket and ball bearing carrier units, the steps according to claim 1,said step of moving said interengaged carrier member forwardly beingperformed by engaging a portion of the forwardly moving guide bracketsection with said carrier member.
 7. In a method of making guide bracketand ball bearing carrier units, the steps of providing a channel-shapedguide bracket strip and a plurality of channel-shaped carrier memberseach transversely narrower than said guide bracket strip and havinglaterally opposite ball bearing sockets in the legs thereof, said stripcomprising a plurality of guide bracket sections separated by pairs oflaterally opposite notched portions in the legs of the strip, movingsaid strip forwardly along a predetermined operative path towards andthrough an assembling station, the legs of said strip extending upwardlyfrom the base thereof, sequentially feeding said carrier members, inpredetermined timed relation with respect to the movement of said sTrip,to an assembling position within said station at which the base of thecarrier member is disposed above the operative path of the base of saidstrip and the legs of said carrier member are spaced inwardly from thepath of the corresponding legs of said channel-shaped strip to provide aball bearing space between each of said sockets and the respective innersurfaces of the legs of a guide bracket section operatively positionedat said assembling station, holding said carrier member at saidassembling position, feeding ball bearings to said respective laterallyopposite sockets through a pair of said laterally opposite notchedportions of a section of said guide bracket strip operatively withinsaid assembling station, whereby upon the continued operative forwardmovement of said strip the rear edges of said last-mentioned notchedportions engage the outer portions of said ball bearings and the innersurfaces of the legs of the following guide bracket section rollablyengage said respective ball bearings and hold them in said ball bearingspaces in operative engagement with said respective sockets, thereby torollably interengage said guide bracket section and said ball bearingcarrier member, releasing said carrier member from said assemblingposition and moving said interengaged carrier member and guide bracketsection forwardly.
 8. In a method of making guide bracket and ballbearing carrier units, the steps according to claim 7, said feeding ofball bearings being performed by arranging laterally opposite linearformations of ball bearings for gravitational downward movement towardsthe operative positions of the leading ball bearings, said leading ballbearings being positioned for operative engagement with said respectivesockets, whereby the said rear edges of said laterally opposite notchedportions will, upon operative engagement with the said outer portions ofsaid leading ball bearings, simultaneously engage the respective nextadjacent ball bearings of said linear formations to separate said latterball bearings from said leading ball bearings, whereby said respectivenext adjacent ball bearings will rollably engage the respective outersurfaces of said respective legs of the adjacent guide bracket sectionand will become the leading ball bearings for operative movement throughthe oncoming notched portions of said strip.
 9. In a method of makingbracket and ball bearing carrier units, the steps according to claim 8,said carrier members having at laterally opposite portions two spacedhorizontally aligned sockets on the legs thereof, said legs of saidguide bracket sections having at the upper portions thereof longitudinalgrooved tracks at the same level as said horizontally aligned sockets,said linear formations of ball bearings comprising two-spaced pairs oflaterally opposite formations, the leading ball bearings of saidformations being operatively adjacent and at the same level as thecorresponding sockets of said carrier member, whereby the feeding stepsof said ball bearings will occur through each pair of laterally oppositenotched portions successively at the laterally opposite sockets of saidcarrier member.
 10. In a method of making guide bracket and ball bearingcarrier units, the steps according to claim 7, said operative movementof the guide bracket strip being continuous along said path, throughsaid assembling station and therebeyond, whereby the said operativemovement of said section remains uninterrupted during the said step ofholding said carrier member in said assembling position, the movement ofsaid interconnected carrier member and guide bracket strip continuing toa severing station, and the further step of severing the foremostsection from the next adjacent section at the notched portionstherebetween.
 11. An apparatus for making guide bracket and ball bearingcarrier units from a plurality of carrier members with ball bearingsockets, ball bearings and a longitudinally movable channel-shaped guidebracket strip haVing a plurality of longitudinally aligned guide bracketsections, comprising an assembly housing having at the base thereof twospaced longitudinal rails proportioned to support thereon one of saidcarrier members, carrier member feeding means communicating with saidrails, retractable holding means positioned and proportioned forreleasable holding engagement with a carrier member operativelypositioned on said rails, longitudinal supporting means for said movingguide bracket strip spaced below said rails and said holding means, andball bearing feeding means for laterally opposite linear formations ofball bearings, said feeding means having discharge outlets above saidrails.
 12. An apparatus according to claim 11, said holding meanscomprising a retractable gate at the forward portion of said housing.13. An apparatus according to claim 11, each of said ball-feeding meanshaving a feed pipe extending from a predetermined level above said railsdown to a discharge outlet in the region of said rails.
 14. An apparatusaccording to claim 11, said housing having laterally opposite wallsspaced apart a distance sufficient for operatively accommodatingtherebetween one of said carrier members operatively positioned on saidrails, said distance being less than the transverse width of saidchannel-shaped guide bracket strip, whereby the legs of said strip willbe adapted to operatively move in flanking relation to said walls, saidlaterally opposite walls having apertured portions substantially at thelevel of said ball bearing discharge outlets.
 15. An apparatus accordingto claim 14, said ball bearing feeding means having a plurality of feedpipes extending from a predetermined level above said rails down tocorresponding discharge outlets in the regions of said rails, and airjet ducts communicating with the bottom portions of said respectivepipes for directing air towards said discharge outlets.